High fives in bid for Youth Olympics

SCORING MACHINE: Joseph Robertson in action for the New Zealand under-18s.

Wairarapa College striker Joseph Robertson has been named in the New Zealand men's squad to contest the 2014 Youth Olympic Games Hockey5 qualifying tournament to be held at Port Vila, Vanuatu, from March 8 to 11.

His selection is yet another feather in the cap of the 17-year-old who has just returned from a four-match campaign in Australia with the national Tiger Turf under-18 team. They had narrow losses in the two "tests" with Australia Futures (3-5 and 4-5) and a win and loss against Queensland under-21 (3-1 and 2-8) with Robertson scoring goals in all but one of them.

One of six qualifying events worldwide, the Vanuatu tourney will see New Zealand being opposed by Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu with the two top finishes earning the right to compete at the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China from August 16 to 28.

Unlike the traditional 11-a-side game, the format for both the qualifying event and the Youth Olympics will be that of Hockey5, the shortened version of the game introduced by the International Hockey Federation.

With only five players on the field at any one time as well as side boards and no penalty corners, the game is not only seen to be faster and more exciting but is more viable for the smaller countries to compete.

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Head coach of the New Zealand men's team, Dave Kasoof, says it will be a "real learning curve" for the players as they come to grips with the different format.

"The key thing for me will be making sure the players' fitness levels are right up there as it will be so quick... the whole time the players are on the field they are going to need to be involved in the game," Kasoof said. "As it is played on a half field defensive moments will be turned into attacking moments in a matter of seconds, which will make it exciting."

Kasoof said the aim for New Zealand was to place in the top two and qualify for the Youth Olympics. "I expect as an absolute minimum that we will be in the final," he said.